Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.

Friday, November 6 2015

While the IUCN lists The Panamanian golden frog Atelopus zeteki as critically endangered, it may in fact have been extinct in the wild since 2007, but thanks to efforts like the captive breeding project at the Maryland Zoo, they may have a better chance. For 15 years the program has been running with the tiny amphibians being bred and reared in the zoo, with hopes for eventual release into the wild.

“We’re the first institution to breed the frogs and we’ve been instrumental with a lot of the husbandry and medical side of things,” said Kevin Barrett.
Barrett is the herpetology collection manager and runs Project Golden Frog at the Maryland Zoo.

This year the Zoo is being acknowledged for it's efforts with a conservation award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.